Spaghetti alle vongole (lit. 'spaghetti with clams') is a pasta dish consisting of spaghetti cooked with fresh clams, originating in the coastal regions of southern Italy, particularly the city of Naples, in Campania. The preparation typically involves garlic, parsley, olive oil, and occasionally white wine. Palourde, or carpet-shell clams, are commonly used, along with the small Mediterranean wedge shell (Donax trunculus, also known as the Tellina or "bean clam"). There are numerous regional variations of the dish.

Types of clams

Palourde, or carpet-shell clams (Italian: vongole veraci; ), are used, or the small, Mediterranean wedge shell (Donax trunculus, also known as the Tellina or "bean clam"). Both types are also called arselle in Liguria and Tuscany. In the United States, small cherrystone clams may be substituted.

Preparation

Italians prepare this dish two ways: in bianco, i.e., with oil, garlic, parsley, and sometimes a splash of white wine; and in rosso, like the former but with tomatoes and fresh basil, the addition of tomatoes being more frequent in the south. Traditionally, the bivalves are cooked quickly in hot olive oil to which plenty of garlic has been added. The live clams open during cooking, releasing a liquid that serves as the primary flavoring agent. The clams are then added to the firm pasta (spaghetti, linguine or vermicelli), along with salt, black pepper (or red pepper), and a handful of finely chopped parsley.

Regional variations

In the Liguria region of Italy, east of Genoa, spaghetti alle vongole (veraci) means spaghetti with tiny baby clams in the shell, no more than the size of a thumbnail, with a white wine/garlic sauce. Linguine also may be used for the pasta in preference to spaghetti. Italian-American recipes sometimes use cream in this dish, but in its area of origin this would be considered most unorthodox. Gillian Riley considers cream alien to the spirit of Italian cooking, remarking that "the way cream dumbs down flavor and texture is not appropriate to the subtle flavor and consistency of pasta". In the United States, cheese is sometimes added to the dish, although Italians claim that it overpowers the simple flavors of the clams and of good quality olive oil.